


A Successful Ambush

by imaginary_golux



Category: Mulan (1998)
Genre: Accidental Marriage, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 11:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17807429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginary_golux/pseuds/imaginary_golux
Summary: For the February Ficlet Challenge prompt "Accidental marriage."Shan Yu had nothing on the ambush-laying capabilities of the Fa women.Beta by my Best Beloved, Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw.





	A Successful Ambush

“Oh _shit_ ,” Mulan says quietly. “I am so, so sorry.”

“...Why?” Shang asks. She didn’t sound that worried when they were literally about to all be killed by Huns; he can’t imagine what could be going on in her family’s courtyard that would elicit that level of dismay.

“There you are!” Mulan’s grandmother yells gleefully, and appears in the doorway just long enough to seize Mulan by the hand and haul her away, waving to Shang as she goes. With a grandmother like _that_ , Shang is honestly not surprised that Mulan ended up a war hero.

“Ah, General Li,” Fa Li says, appearing in the doorway with a broad smile. “Come in, sit down! Everything will be ready in just a moment. Would you like some tea?”

“Tea would be lovely,” Shang says warily, and is ushered in to a comfortable bench under a cherry tree, handed a cup of steaming tea, and left there with a pat on his shoulder. Fa Zhou, on the other end of the bench, chuckles quietly.

“Welcome to my home, General Li,” he says.

“Thank you, sir,” Shang says. “Ah. Could I ask what’s going on?” There are a _lot_ of people in the courtyard, and a pavilion, and everyone is wearing their best clothing. Shang, in his traveling gear, feels very out of place.

“Well,” Fa Zhou says, “if you would prefer _not_ to be married to my daughter, I would suggest you make your escape soon. Apparently today is the most auspicious day for a wedding that we will see for some years. Or so I am informed.”

Shang swallows hard. He _did_ propose to Mulan some months ago, and he meant it, and he’s been looking forward to marrying her, but this is a bit - sudden. Overwhelming. _Startling_ , perhaps.

No wonder Mulan looked like she’d seen an ambush. Shan Yu could only dream of having the planning capabilities of the Fa women on a mission.

“Well,” he says, “who am I to argue with the omens? And given the level of chaos we seem to attract, having a particularly auspicious wedding day is probably a wise idea.”

Fa Zhou laughs softly. “I believe you have found precisely the correct mindset for a man who wishes to marry my daughter,” he says, and stands, collecting his crutch. “And now I think we are wanted in the pavilion.”

Shang puts down his teacup and follows his - his imminent father-in-law - towards the pavilion, and the crowds part in front of them, and there is Mulan, wearing -

Wearing not the formal wedding gown and perfect mask of cosmetics that every other bride Shang has ever seen has worn, but her army uniform. Her hair is down and there’s a comb in it, and there’s a hint of makeup around her eyes, and somehow she is perfectly both Ping and Mulan at the same time, every glorious contradiction combined in this moment. Shang moves towards her like an iron filing to a lodestone, and takes her hands in his.

“You didn’t run away,” she says quietly, under the bustle of everyone else taking their places.

“Never,” Shang says, and smiles down into her eyes.


End file.
